Upshur County couple arrested after 3 children found living among rotting garbage, piles of feces

ROCK CAVE, W.Va (WDTV) - An Upshur County couple was arrested Tuesday after deputies found three children living among rotting garbage and piles of feces.

Catara White, 25, and Trevor Howell, 26, were arrested after a 2-year-old, a 5-year-old and a 15-year-old were found living in unsanitary conditions in a home on Frazier Road in Rock Cave, according to the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies received a tip about numerous dogs running around, the home’s floor falling in and White and Howell going to the neighbor’s house asking for food and showers for the children.

When deputies arrived on scene, they found multiple piles of rotting household garbage, piles of fresh and dried dog feces with blood in it, pots and pans with various stages of decaying food, a water leak in the roof causing the roof above the beds to fall in, and a pile of vomit. The feces was smeared throughout the residence from where the children were walking barefoot through it, court documents say.

In the bathroom, there were multiple newborn puppies, along with more dog feces with blood in it.

While deputies were on scene, they observed the 5-year-old child drink from a Crockpot that was sitting outside and found multiple open “pick” wounds on the 2-year-old child’s arm.

A green leafy substance and marijuana smoking devices and containers were found within reach of the children, as well, deputies said.

The children and animals were removed from the home, court documents say.

White and Howell are each facing one count of felony child neglect and are currently in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail with bond set at $50,000 each.